# Noob question Humidor vs. Wineadors/Coolidors



## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

I just found out this morning after doing some light browsing before work about Wineadors/Collidors and all I can say is that I am intrigued! I just recently received a humidor as a wedding present but this looks like it will be the way to go once I get a fair amount of sticks in my collection. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons that the two have? Why wouldn't I want to go to a wineador?? Can a person build a wineador fairly inexpensively?? Do you need to use a humidification system in a wineador? What brands do you recommend?


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## imported_mark_j (Aug 18, 2013)

I have a wineador based on a NewAir 281 with custom drawers from Forrest at wineadors.com. I have about $450 in the entire unit and it took a few months to finish because of waiting for the custom drawers. Blurry picture below:


I use 1.5 pounds of Heartfelt 65% beads and it NEVER needs attention. It took a month or so for the humidity to stabilize now it never moves with practically zero maintenance.

Why get a cooler instead? It is much much much cheaper, can be setup almost instantly, and works great.

Why get a wineador? Because it looks cool.

If you want to setup a wineador, I would setup a cooler anyway to store sticks while the wineador is in progress, because it takes a few months to do it right.


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## TreySC (May 30, 2014)

You will need some kind of humidification no matter what storage you use. As far as prices I'm not sure, but there are a bunch of wineador build threads in the accessory forum. I think the biggest pro to a wineador over a cooler or tupperware is the climate control. I'm sure some guys that have used both can give more details


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## Trackmyer (Jun 6, 2014)

Newair is one of the more popular types to convert into a wineador. They even sell a model already having cedar drawers in it. Though they will be basic cedar drawers with no hardwood front options.

As to wineador vs. coolidor. They both work very well. With the coolidor being more affordable but less pleasing to the eye. The wineador can get as crazy as you want to go in upgrades to electronics, drawers, front glass designs, etc. And still looks nice in the open on display.

For me the move from coolidor to wineador was based on temp. I have a very old house with huge temp swings thruout the year. Living in Upstate NY, the house can get very hot and humid in summer, and cold and dry in winter. The wineador has done a great job of keeping a very even range so far. And I no longer have to shuffle cigar storages around the house based on temps.

As to RH control in the coolidor and humidors I used Boveda packs. Works like a champ. In the wineador I have Boveda packs and some HF beads. I meant to go to just HF but I just cant bring myself to get rid of my Boveda's. I really do like them. The packs I use get recharged as needed. But honestly I only have recharged a couple in this year. And since getting the HF beads stable where I want them, I haven't done anything to them yet.

Many folks here have threads on their wineador builds. Me included. If you wanted to take a peak. And yes, I got a tad geeked out on my build. Just the way I am.

http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...ewair-280-wineador-build-off-rocky-start.html


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

For you, in South Carolina, I would think the biggest issue to consider is temperature. Do you keep your home very cool in the summer? Or do you have a basement or similar area that stays cool where you could keep a coolidor in the summer? If you don't have the ability to store a coolidor in an area consistently below 70 degrees, a wine fridge is probably the best option if you don't want to go for a cooled humidor. You will find a wealth on information on Puff about coolidors and wine coolers, from what to look for to how to prepare them. Many very knowledgeable people have posted on all aspects of the subject.


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## MadMatt (Jan 20, 2013)

Sam's Club just had a similar bottle cooler for $150.


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## Tombstone (Aug 22, 2013)

If temperature change is not an issue for you then I think it comes down to cost/beauty. Its like a tupperdore vs. a humidor only on a larger scale. I went with a cooler. Filled it with boxes from a Local b&m with humidification till it settled where I wanted it then began to fill it.


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## SeanTheEvans (Dec 13, 2013)

Trackmyer said:


>


oh that's hawt


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Gillisjp said:


> Can anyone tell me the pros and cons that the two have? Why wouldn't I want to go to a wineador??


Wineador:

Pros:
-Great looks
-Temp control
-Better seal than a traditional Chinese-made wooden humidor, and a lot more room

Cons:
-Can be somewhat spendy, depending on brand and what you do for shelves and drawers
-Temp control can be a double-edged sword. Without using an ETC(Electronic Temp Controller) it can be difficult to keep the temp high enough, causing problems with maintaining rH; also if you're trying to cool more than 10* over ambient temps, you're likely to experience condensation, which has its own problems

Coolidor:

Pros:
-Cheapest option, generally much cheaper than a wineador, and often cheaper than even Chinese-made wooden humidors
-better seal than a traditional Chinese-made humidor, and a lot more room 
-Great bank-for-buck

Cons:
-No temp control
-Can be unattractive to keep out in the open



Gillisjp said:


> Can a person build a wineador fairly inexpensively??


That would depend on your definition of "inexpensive" but I would say yes.

A wineador can be often had in my area for around $50-$100 on Craigslist. Shelves/drawers will run you $150-300 depending on the maker and configuration you desire, or you could make them yourself for much, much less if you have a source for spanish cedar and some basic woodworking tools.



Gillisjp said:


> Do you need to use a humidification system in a wineador?


Every cigar storage solution is going to need some type of humidification system. The easiest is Boveda packs, but for a large storage solution, they can get expensive. A large number of us here use 100% silica kitty litter. Do a search for threadshere on the stuff, it's incredibly cheap and works great.



Gillisjp said:


> What brands do you recommend?


For a wineador, I use a couple Vinotemp units, but honestly, nearly all of them are made in a couple factories in China. There's honestly not a lot of difference between them except size and finish. However, most of the guys who make them (Eric Childress at childresswoodworks.com, or Forrest at Wineadors.com) have plans already for some of the major brands, the most popular being NewAir 280 and 281s.

For coolidors, Coleman Xtremes tend to be the most popular due to their great seals and insulation, and cheap pricing. The 150qt was $50 on Walmart.com for a long time, still might be, I haven't checked in a while.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

Those look like awesome wineadors! I think I have just unearthed something that is going to cost me some good money. Mark_j and Trackmyer where did you get the custom drawers done at? Aninjaforallseasons thanks for the great advice! TreySC where do you go in Cola for your sticks? Are you a fellow Gamecock?


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

You can see many options and get a lot of ideas at http://wineadors.com


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

Did you specify how you wanted the drawers to look?


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## TreySC (May 30, 2014)

Gillisjp said:


> Those look like awesome wineadors! I think I have just unearthed something that is going to cost me some good money. Mark_j and Trackmyer where did you get the custom drawers done at? Aninjaforallseasons thanks for the great advice! TreySC where do you go in Cola for your sticks? Are you a fellow Gamecock?


I usually go to the Maduro room in Lexington. If my brother and I are wanting to hang out and smoke somewhere other than the porch we will go to The Cigar Box downtown, They have a pool table. I grew up in Florida so I'm a Gator. :behindsofa:

Where are you in the Upstate? My wife has family in Clinton and Greenwood.


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## Trackmyer (Jun 6, 2014)

Gillisjp said:


> Those look like awesome wineadors! I think I have just unearthed something that is going to cost me some good money. Mark_j and Trackmyer where did you get the custom drawers done at? Aninjaforallseasons thanks for the great advice! TreySC where do you go in Cola for your sticks? Are you a fellow Gamecock?


Mine are custom drawers with Birdseye Maple fronts from Custom Wineador™ Creations - Home The creator is a member on this forum as well, and has made drawers for many brothers here. If I were to do it again I would use the fella who made these...


__
https://flic.kr/p/14892689470

Birdseye Maple as well, but quality is much better in the build and I really like the framing of each drawer front. They are made by John Nelson of Johnswoodworks. Already built bunches of drawer sets for folks and from what Ive seen the turnaround time and quality is top notch.


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## imported_mark_j (Aug 18, 2013)

Gillisjp said:


> Those look like awesome wineadors! I think I have just unearthed something that is going to cost me some good money. Mark_j and Trackmyer where did you get the custom drawers done at? Aninjaforallseasons thanks for the great advice! TreySC where do you go in Cola for your sticks? Are you a fellow Gamecock?


I got mine at the same place as @Trackmyer. Guy sells custom finishes and hardware. Mine are walnut. Be prepared to wait, he has been known to be difficult to reach via email and some people get pretty distraught. Especially since you pay up front and may not hear anything for months. I had good luck though....2 month wait and he answered my emails.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

TreySC said:


> I usually go to the Maduro room in Lexington. If my brother and I are wanting to hang out and smoke somewhere other than the porch we will go to The Cigar Box downtown, They have a pool table. I grew up in Florida so I'm a Gator. :behindsofa:
> 
> Where are you in the Upstate? My wife has family in Clinton and Greenwood.


Im up in Greenville, Where is the cigar box in downtown cola?


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## TreySC (May 30, 2014)

Gillisjp said:


> Im up in Greenville, Where is the cigar box in downtown cola?


They actually have 2 locations, 1 on Rosewood (never been to that one) and 1 on Main St near Taylor I think


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## Btubes18 (Aug 21, 2011)

I have both and luckily I can control the temperate in my house and keep it right around 69 or so throughout the year. So basically, I bought a VERY cheap wine fridge online from Craigslist ($50 max) and I don't even plug it in. Seal works great on the fridge and it just looks great. If you don't need to worry about the temp in your house I would recommend going that direction. Personally, I would rather invest more money into my cigars than good looking storage. A well sealed Cooler is the cheapest and most economical way of doing it. At some point I know I will probably want a really nice large cabinet humidor.


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## Sigaar (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm pretty impatient, so I ordered a cigar wineador from Amazon for $449. I had the thing (shelves/drawers included) within 10 days or so. I have no regrets. Even though I'm new to the hobby, my humidor was fast running out of space and I was also having trouble staying below 70F during summer with no A/C. The wineador is great, and the RH has been rock solid at 64-65% with kitty litter. I didn't consider a coolidor as I'd have the same summer temp issues and prefer the look of a wineador vs. a plain old cooler.:nod:


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## imported_mark_j (Aug 18, 2013)

Btubes18 said:


> I have both and luckily I can control the temperate in my house and keep it right around 69 or so throughout the year. So basically, I bought a VERY cheap wine fridge online from Craigslist ($50 max) and I don't even plug it in. Seal works great on the fridge and it just looks great. If you don't need to worry about the temp in your house I would recommend going that direction. Personally, I would rather invest more money into my cigars than good looking storage. A well sealed Cooler is the cheapest and most economical way of doing it. At some point I know I will probably want a really nice large cabinet humidor.


I don't plug mine in anymore either. The humidity seems more stable that way. I was thinking about getting another one just for boxes (leaving a few of the metal shelves in it and stacking boxes on those). It seems like overkill $$$, but a cheap wine cooler and a few pounds of kitty litter would make a nice box storage solution, and the glass front would save some time digging through boxes in a regular cooler.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

Btubes18 said:


> I have both and luckily I can control the temperate in my house and keep it right around 69 or so throughout the year. So basically, I bought a VERY cheap wine fridge online from Craigslist ($50 max) and I don't even plug it in. Seal works great on the fridge and it just looks great. If you don't need to worry about the temp in your house I would recommend going that direction. Personally, I would rather invest more money into my cigars than good looking storage. A well sealed Cooler is the cheapest and most economical way of doing it. At some point I know I will probably want a really nice large cabinet humidor.


Do you know what brand that $50 wine fridge is? I would like to step up my game as my 100 cigar humidor is already starting to run out of room.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

mark_j said:


> I don't plug mine in anymore either. The humidity seems more stable that way. I was thinking about getting another one just for boxes (leaving a few of the metal shelves in it and stacking boxes on those). It seems like overkill $$$, but a cheap wine cooler and a few pounds of kitty litter would make a nice box storage solution, and the glass front would save some time digging through boxes in a regular cooler.


Do you keep you cigars in their boxes or do you take them out?


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## imported_mark_j (Aug 18, 2013)

Gillisjp said:


> Do you keep you cigars in their boxes or do you take them out?


I leave them in boxes if there's space enough


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## ProjectSunfire (Mar 30, 2011)

I used a combination of desktop humidors, tubberware and igloo coolers for years with mixed results. After moving to Central Florida several years ago I was always stressing over the temps inside my humidors hitting 80 degrees in the summer. Not to mention a constant struggle chasing humidity control. So I started researching a wineador. I found a great deal on a scratch and dent but new in the box Newair. I then ordered drawers. Nothing fancy like some of the guys have on here. I went for function over form to save a few bucks. A few pounds of beads and I was good to go. I have around $400 invested.

And I cannot stress enough how happy I am with my setup. Over 6 months now and I literally have not touched it. The thing is just rock solid on temp and humidity. Absolutely no maintenance required. Considering how much money I have sitting in there in sticks...it is probably the best investment I have ever made.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

ProjectSunfire said:


> I used a combination of desktop humidors, tubberware and igloo coolers for years with mixed results. After moving to Central Florida several years ago I was always stressing over the temps inside my humidors hitting 80 degrees in the summer. Not to mention a constant struggle chasing humidity control. So I started researching a wineador. I found a great deal on a scratch and dent but new in the box Newair. I then ordered drawers. Nothing fancy like some of the guys have on here. I went for function over form to save a few bucks. A few pounds of beads and I was good to go. I have around $400 invested.
> 
> And I cannot stress enough how happy I am with my setup. Over 6 months now and I literally have not touched it. The thing is just rock solid on temp and humidity. Absolutely no maintenance required. Considering how much money I have sitting in there in sticks...it is probably the best investment I have ever made.
> 
> View attachment 51268


I see that you have a bunch of cigars! Why do you not take the cigars out of the wrapper? Can you leave them and store them in the wrapper for a long period of time? Does it not impart a plastic taste to the cigars??


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## penna stogey (Apr 23, 2014)

sweet setup.


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## ProjectSunfire (Mar 30, 2011)

Gillisjp said:


> I see that you have a bunch of cigars! Why do you not take the cigars out of the wrapper? Can you leave them and store them in the wrapper for a long period of time? Does it not impart a plastic taste to the cigars??


haha yeah I have a few. funny thing is I still have a 48 quart igloo cooler that is partly full. I have been trying to sell all those off so I only have the wineador full. Then I can justify buying more lol

As far as removing the cellophane...I think it just comes down to personal preference. I just leave them the way they came. wrapped or naked. The cellophane helps to protect them from damage, helps prevent flavors mixing and is porous so doesn't actually make a difference with regards to humidity. And it does not introduce a plastic taste that I have ever noticed.


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

Cellophane is a natural product, made from cellulose. Cellophane is permeable to the air. It is not plastic. There is zero danger of cellophane imparting any taste, aroma or flavor to a cigar.


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## DirtyBoy808 (Nov 26, 2014)

I have a whynter winedor and not really sure if I set it right. I'm running it at 58 deg. and 70 humidity. I just got it a week ago. If I go to 62 deg. The humidity jumps to 80 deg.


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

ProjectSunfire said:


> I used a combination of desktop humidors, tubberware and igloo coolers for years with mixed results. After moving to Central Florida several years ago I was always stressing over the temps inside my humidors hitting 80 degrees in the summer. Not to mention a constant struggle chasing humidity control. So I started researching a wineador. I found a great deal on a scratch and dent but new in the box Newair. I then ordered drawers. Nothing fancy like some of the guys have on here. I went for function over form to save a few bucks. A few pounds of beads and I was good to go. I have around $400 invested.
> 
> And I cannot stress enough how happy I am with my setup. Over 6 months now and I literally have not touched it. The thing is just rock solid on temp and humidity. Absolutely no maintenance required. Considering how much money I have sitting in there in sticks...it is probably the best investment I have ever made.
> 
> View attachment 51268


Where did you get the deal on your scratch and dent newair? Where did you get the drawers and humidors beads from?


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## ProjectSunfire (Mar 30, 2011)

Gillisjp said:


> Where did you get the deal on your scratch and dent newair? Where did you get the drawers and humidors beads from?


I got the cooler from Space Heaters, Ceiling Heaters and Fireplaces
Drawers from here: Custom Wineador™ Creations - Home
Beads from here: Heartfelt Industries, Cigar Humidification, Cigar Humidor Humidity Beads, Heartfelt Beads, quality Cigar Accessories


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## Gillisjp (Nov 19, 2014)

Project Sunfish Thanks


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